Garment press



Aug. 9, 1,932. J. L.z CARD 1,870,894v

- GARMENT PRESS Filed Nqv. 22, 1929 4 sheets-sheet 1 4 r1 u: I Y .vf/4.. Iw@ f. l Hum J. L. CARD GARMENT PRESS Aug. 9, 1932.

Filed Nov. 22, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug@- 9, 1932. J. L. CARD 1,870,894

GARMENT PRESS Filed Nov. 22, 1929 @sheets-sheet s Mgg MM J.L.CARD

Aug. 9, 1932.

GARMENT PRESS Filed No v. 22, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 amqd - Patented Aug. 9, 1932V j no ing links.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFElcE TOEN L. CARD, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASIGNOB UNITED STATES HOFFMAN MACHINERY CORPORATION, F NEW YORK, Y.,

A CORPORATION OE DELAWARE @Enum rnns's 'Application filedl November 22, 1929. -Serial No. 409,116;

This invention pertains to garment presses and more particularly to a press in which final heavy pressure is effected by a hand controlled wedging element coacting with the' movable pressing element or head to transmit a heavy pressure to the pressing ele-. ments. The operating mechanism -is so constructed that the head may be broughtinto preliminary pressing position either foot actuated lever or by a hand lever, after which the manually operated lever is actuated to apply a final pressure. The latter. lever is capable of being locked in final presarranged that it is disposed beneath the- Jframe of the machine. Also associated with the operating mechanism are spring means to prevent too rapid opening of the press and a fluid check to eliminate shocks. incident to full opening. A

The invention will following description, reference being had to theappended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevaton, partly in section,

illustrating one embodiment of the invention,

the full lines showing the press in its fully opened position and the dotted linesindicating the preliminary pressing position;

Fig. 2 is also a side elevation, the press being closed andlocked in inal pressure applying position; v

Fig. 3 is a sectional view-taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of va portion of the wedging mechanisln and head carrying levers;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the fluid check shown els-applied to the foot lever in Fig. 1; and

- Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the connection between the hand lever and the wedge operatbe understood from the Referring to the drawings, the press is suported on the usual base frame 11 on which 1s also mounted a table 12-to accommodate garments or goods while being'pressed. A xed pressing element or buck 13 is supported above the table, a head 14 secured to the levers 15, 15 cooperating with the buck in the usual manner to press the garment. The levers are fulcrumed on a shaft 16 supported at the rear of the frame. Also fulcrumcd on shaft 16 and keyed or otherwise secured to levers 15, 15 are 'arms 17 17', theends of which are connected by a cross rod 18. A chain 19 passing over a sheave 20 on shaft 21 supports a sleeve 22 at one end and-is'fastened to rod 18 at its other end. The lower end of sleeve 22 is closed by a threaded cap 23 having a shoulder a24-thereon for supporting weights 25. Passing through capl 23 is a rod 26 secured at its lower end to frame 11 and-having at its upper extremity a disc 27 held to the rod by nut 28 threaded on the rod. A coil -sprin 29 is interposed between cap 23 and disc 2 within sleeve 22'normally to urge the sleeve downwardly and the press to open position. The weights supplement the force exerted by' spring 29, the number of weights employed depending on the type and weight of head used. Arms 17, 17 are also connected by means of links 33 to a foot lever 31 fulcrumed on shaft 32 'at the rear of ramevll. It will be apparent that pressure exerted on the foot lever will be transmitted through links 33 and arms17, 17', to rock the levers 15, 15', to press closing position. It will also he seen that when the pressure on thefoot lever is released the spring 29 and weights 25 will return the head carrying levers to their normally open position.

Disposed above the frame and hinged at 34 to an extension 35 thereof is a. yoke member 36 having an angularly directed recess 37 adjacent its connection to the frame. The

l lower edge of the yoke is flanged to provide forms a pair of tracks 39. The angle of track l 38 which is slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal and downwardly toward the front of the press, may be varied by means of i an adjustable connection between the outer end of the yoke and the frame. This connection comprises anl eye-bolt 41 secured to a pin 42 on'extenson 35 and a nut 43 on the yoke. The nut 43 is slidably mounted in a threaded plug 44 fitting in a cup-shaped portion 45 on the yoke. Disposed in the cup 45 and surrounding the eye-bolt 41 is a heavy coil spring 46, one end of which abuts plug 44 and the other end of which rests against the bottom of the cup. The compression of this spring may be adjusted by turning the plug 44. It is to be noted that nut 43 also bears against one end of the spring and that by turning the nut, the distance between the extension 35 and the cup 45 may be varied to increase orrdecrease the pressure exerted by the wedging element. The yoke 36 is normally held spaced from the frame by an auxiliary spring 47surrounding the lower end of bolt 41. I

A pair of rollers 48, 48', adapted -to cooperate with tracks 39, and a roller 49, which :'s

- guided by track 38, are mounted on a shaft 51 journaled in links 52, 52. Pivoted to a shaft on extensions 53 adjacent the forward ends of the levers 15, 15', are a pair of levers 54, 54', connected by a hand bar 55. Links 56, 56 are pivotally connected at one end by means of pins 57, 57 to levers 54, 5.4',

' intermediate the ends of the latter members,

a toggle joint 'being formed thereby. The other ends of links56, 56 are pivotally connected to shaft 58 journaled in a forked arm 59, the latter member being loosely mounted \Dn shaft 16. Links 52, 52 are likewise pivotally connected to shaft 58 so that any forward or rearward movement oflinks 56, 56' is imparted to links 52, 52', and the rollers journaled thereon. When the levers 54, 54

are lowered it is apparent that the rollers 48, 48', 49 will be moved forward between the converging tracks 38, 39 forcing levers 15, 15 down and the head into cooperative relation with t'he'buck. The track 38,. that is the flanged forward portion of the yoke, is inclined downwardly and forwardly so that, as the rollers are moved forward, the pressure exerted by the head lever on the garment or material is gradually increased. The ulti- 'mate pressure exerted by the head may be varied by adjusting the nut 43 to vary the compression ofl spring 46.

As shown in Fig. 2, the hand levers have been lowered until the'axis of the roller shaft 51 and pivots 50, 57 are in alignment, the downwardly bentforward 'ends of links 56, 56 .permitting this relation of the levers, at which time the toggle is in locked position and maximum pressure is exerted on the press head.` Y v When the levers 54, 54' are lifted to bleak the togglethere is atendency for the spring` v46 to snap'the rollers back to their normal position quickly. To prevent this action a spring 61 is4 connected at one end to a pin 62 on the head carrying lever and at its other end to arm 59 at 63. This spring is placed under tension during the initial opening of the toggle, that is, while the head remains in closed Aposition and the wedging roller 49 is moving rearwardly, there being relative movement of arm 59 and the levers 15, 15' at this time. The tensioning of spring 61 opposes quick opening of the toggle and prevents undue shocks on the mechanism. The spring remains under tension until the relative positions ofthe head carrying lever and arm 59 indicated in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2 are attained.- r

As a further check on the momentum of the press lever when being brought to fully open position by the counterweight, there is provided on the foot lever a buffer mechanism which cooperates with a fixed abutment on the frame. .The particular form of buffer employed is shown in Fig. 6 and comprises a piston 64 working in a fluid chamber 65.

The fluid chamber is preferably cylindrical in form, its ends communicating through a by-pass 66, the upper end f which is restrictedby an adjustable plug 67. The piston is perforated'at 68, a washer valve 69 fitting loosely on a boss on the lower face of the. piston closing the openings in the piston during downward travel of the piston. A spring 71 normally tends to hold the piston in its uppermost position. The piston is secured to the end of a buffer rod 72 which projects through a plug 73 in the .upper end of the fluid chamber, the end of the rod being adapted to contact a fixed abutment l74 on the frame. The Huid chamber is fixed to the foot lever 31- by means of screws 75 or other suitable securing means.

When'pressure on the footlever is released the press tends to open quickly. The rod 72 as it strikes the abutment 7 4-forces piston 64 downwardly with respect to the fluid chamber. Washer valve 69 closes the openings 68, however, forcing Huid from the lower part of the fluid chamber to the upper part thereof through theby-pass 66. The rate of ascent of. the fluid chamber with respect to the piston is controlled by the restricting plug 67 which permits the iuid to iow through the byv-pass very slowly. As the press lever comes to rest spring 71 returns the parts of the buffer mechanism to normal position, the valve 69 opening and permitting Huid to flow through the openings in' the piston into the lower part of the fluid chamber.' A

As will be noted from the foregoing description and an inspection of the drawings,

-the levers or arms 54, 54' standl wellabove member disposed abovethe frame in spacedv position shown in Fig. 1, handle 55 likewise lowered to a position where it may be.

easily grasped by the operator and the toggle caused to approach a position more nearl straightened than when the head is elevate during the application of final pressure. The provision of a counter-balance disposed beneath the frame conserves space and the buiier mechanisms eliminate shocks and noise in the operation of the machine. Preliminary pressing and adjustment of the press head is effected either by the afoot lever or by hand, the hand operated wedging mechanism also being lowered upon actuation of the ootlever. It is to be understood that the machine illustrated is susceptible of modification without departing from'its principles of operation.

What is claimed is l. In a garment press, the combination of a fixed frame; a buck thereon; ahead carrying lever `fulcrumed on the fra-me; a guide member spaced fromsaid frame; a reciprocable member engageable with said guide member and said lever for rocking the lever; and toggle means for reciprocating said reciprocable member.

2. In a garment press, the combination of a xed frame; a buck thereon; a head carry'- ing lever fulcrumed on the frame; a guide member spaced from said frame; a reciprocable member engageable with said guide member and said lever for rocking the lever;

toggle means for reciprocating said reciprocable member; and means'for 'locking said toggle inV maximum pressing position.

3. In a garment press, the combination of a fixed frame; a buck thereon; a head carrying lever fulcrumed on the frame; a guide relation thereto; a reciprocable means engageable with said guide member and said lever for rocking the lever; a hand lever pivoted to said head carrying lever; and means connecting said reciprocable means withsaid hand lever for manually reciproeating said last mentioned means. i

4..`In` a garment press, the combination of a fixed frame; a buck thereon; a head carrying lever ulcrumed on the frame; a guide member spaced from -said frame; a reciprocable member engageable with saidguide member and said lever for moving said head into pressing relation with said buck; a

yieldable connection' between said guide member and saidrame; and to gle means for reciprocating said reciprocabIe member.

5. In a garment. press, the combination of a fixed frame; a buck thereon; a head carry- Ving lever fulcrumed on the frame; a guide member hinged at one end to said frame and the vframe; a reciprocable member constrained to move between the guide member and the frame; said reciprocable member also cooperatingfwith said lever to move the head into pressing relation with said buck; and toggle means for reciprocating said reciprocable member. ment being such that the head may be locked 6. In' a garment press, the combination of a fixed frame; a buck thereon; a head carrying lever fulcrumed on the frame; a guide member disposed above said frame in spaced relation thereto and having a forwardly and downwardly inclined track; a reciprocablefmember engageable with said track and said lever for rockmg the lever; means for movring said head to preliminary pressing position with respect to said buck; and toggle means connected. to'said reciprocable member for applying final pressure between said head and said buck.

7. In a garment press, the combination of a lixedframe; a buck thereon; a head-carrying lever fulcrumed on the frame; a guide member spaced from the frame; toggle mechanism comprising a pair of links, one of said links being pivotally secured tov said lever and constrained to move upwardly therewith; means pivotally connecting the other of said links to said frame; and means mov-` able with one of said links and engagingy the guide and the head carrying lever for moving said lever to pressure applying position when said links are brought into alignment.

A8. In a garment press, the combination ofa fixed frame; a buck thereon; a head carrying lever fulcrumed on the frame; a

guide member yieldably connected to. said E frame; reciprocable means cooperating with said guide member and said lever for rocking the lever in vone direction to pressure applying position; means for rocking said lever in the opposite direction; toggle mechanism for moving said reciprocable means; and

means associatedy with the toggle mechanism acting to resist movement of the lever in said opposite direction. v

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN L. CARD. 

